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Lake Elsinore, California Weird Tourist Attractions & Roadside OdditesThe Lake Elsinore Historic Downtown is pretty much like any other old renovated historic downtown district. There are antique stores, other shops, restaurants, ghosts... Ghosts? So they say......
The wonderful old 1800s Victorian gingerbread is now an antique store called The Chimes.
Except...it was closed for renovations when I was there so I didn't get to see the ghosts or smell the ghostly cigar smoke. (Darn!) Still, a visit to The Chimes is worth it just to see it and take pictures. Who knows, maybe there will be a ghost peering out a window! Or…Maybe not.
Directions: From the I-15 in Lake Elsinore take the Main Street exit which takes you into downtown. The Chimes is at 201 W. Graham. The abandoned hotel is on Main.
Playing silent music, members of a band watch the traffic go by on Grand Avenue.
A couple of silver ladies all dressed up with wild wire hair and bright red lipstick to match their painted fingernails sit on stools and listen.
A dog...No, wait. Sorry. It's a pig--it's got a curly tail and a pig snout... stands guard behind a fence of metal cattails. Muffler art abounds at G & R Mufflers. It's a regular muffler family! Standing in the yard, sitting on the roof. Another lady stands by the fence and waves to the cars. You can wave back to her at: 19065 Grand. Phone: 951-678-3124.
View view view!
For a stupendous view of Lake Elsinore, rivaled only by the view from a hang glider itself, the hang glider launch is a great place to go. Look! This picture was taken in July and there's still snow on the mountain! In CALIFORNIA even!
To get to the hang glider launch, go up the Ortega Highway to Killen Road. There are signs posted on the highway to the
Wildomar OHV Area
that is down Killen Road. Follow this road about 4 miles to the launch area.
The Ortega Highway, Highway 74, winds through the mountains between Lake Elsinore and San Juan Capistrano. The Lookout Roadhouse is a funky little old restaurant just before the turnoff to Killen Road on the Lake Elsinore side. Their food is great and you gotta try their ribs for breakfast!
How about the absolute bestest candied apple in the world? In the world even. Well, I'm not positive sure about that but they are sure are the best I've ever had. At the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in the Lake Elsinore Outlet Mall, they have a candied apple called Apple Pie. It's covered with white chocolate, cinnamon, brown sugar and caramel and it is scrumptious! It's best when refrigerated but hey, when you take one with you on your trip to the Wildomar OHV for a little off road action, they taste pretty darn good even sorta warm. They’ll cut them at the store for you, but you need to eat them soon after or the apples turn icky brown.
Directions: The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is at 17600 Collier Ave #H180 in the Lake Elsinore Outlet Mall. From the I-15 exit Nichols road and head west to Collier Avenue. Phone: 951-245-1396. Outlet malls are not a place I frequent very much. But it's worth it for these candied apples. And actually, there are a lot of Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory stores around the U.S. Lake Elsinore just happens to be the closest for me.
From Lake Elsinore Back to Southern California
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Way back when, Elsinore was known for its healing waters. The Crescent Bathhouse was the place to soak.
